The clues pointing to Half-Life 3 are piling up: New Valve {hardware}, insider leaks, and teasers from Geoff Keighley are sparking new hope
It’s most likely the oldest operating gag in online game historical past, however proper now, many followers appear to have a lump of their throats – from pleasure! Studies, analyses, and insider statements are at present flooding the web, pointing to an imminent reveal of Half-Life 3.
The present wave of hypothesis has been triggered by a mixture of yesterday’s twenty seventh anniversary of the primary installment of the sequence, the current unveiling of latest Valve {hardware}, and conspicuous observations on the developer’s headquarters – concrete clues that might transcend mere wishful pondering.
{Hardware} reveal with out software program raises questions
The bone of rivalry for the present wave of rumors lies in final week: Valve surprisingly unveiled new {hardware}: the Steam Machine, the Steam Body (a brand new VR headset), and a brand new Steam Controller. What was placing, nevertheless, was the absence of any software program bulletins.
This could contradict the technique that Valve has lately pursued efficiently. Whereas the launch of the primary Steam Machine in 2015 occurred with out its personal sport and flopped, the builders relied on accompanying software program for more moderen {hardware} releases. Consider the tech demo Aperture Desk Job for the Steam Deck and, above all, the VR flagship Half-Life: Alyx for the Valve Index.
Insider stories at the moment are filling this vacuum: Business consultants comparable to “Nate the Hate“ and ”Shpeshal_Nick” report from sources that anticipate a software program presentation to observe the {hardware} announcement shortly. The latter acknowledged on the X platform that he had obtained data that Valve wished to current {hardware} final week and software program this week:
Most likely deep sufficient into the week to know this isn’t taking place proper now
Final week I bought a DM that Valve was exhibiting off {hardware} “this week” (final week) and software program “subsequent week” (this week)
This software program was allegedly Half Life 3. Therefore my warning with my tweet. “Huge if” https://t.co/aVN9XOcYnL
— Shpeshal Nick (@Shpeshal_Nick) November 18, 2025
Venture “HLX” and elevated safety
Aside from the temporal correlation, there are technical indications which have been preoccupying the neighborhood for months. Dataminers have repeatedly discovered references to a venture codenamed “HLX” in updates to the Supply 2 engine and different Valve titles.
Analyses counsel that this can be a full-fledged, non-VR title within the Half-Life universe that has been in growth since not less than 2021. Nicely-known leaker Tyler McVicker claimed again in Could of this yr that this venture is inner at Valve!
Sean Hollister from The Verge supplied one other piece of the puzzle: As a part of the press preview for the brand new Valve {hardware}, he visited the corporate’s headquarters and reported unusually strict safety measures.
Not like earlier visits, comparable to to Half-Life: Alyx, Hollister mentioned the place was swarming with safety personnel. That is seen within the report as a sign that Valve is at present shielding initiatives that aren’t but supposed for even invited members of the press.
“Venture White Sands” and hints from voice actors
The present rumor mill is additional fueled by leaks from folks concerned within the manufacturing. As early as 2024, the identify “Venture White Sands” appeared within the resume of a voice actress, which was rapidly linked to Valve.
Added to this can be a cryptic publish by the voice actor of the G-Man, who firstly of the yr promised “surprising surprises” for 2025.
#Valve #Halflife #GMan #2025 pic.twitter.com/mdT5hlxKJT
— Mike Shapiro (@mikeshapiroland) December 31, 2024
Attentive observers can even discover inconsistencies on the Steam platform itself: The sidebar for “Upcoming Releases” at present lists two entries, however when clicked, solely the sport Impasse is displayed. Such discrepancies are sometimes interpreted by the neighborhood as placeholders for hidden retailer pages.
Geoff Keighley’s want record teaser
Simply how delicate the neighborhood is at present reacting to the slightest hints was demonstrated by an motion taken by Geoff Keighley. The presenter shared a screenshot on social media, truly simply to attract consideration to the presence of the “Recreation Awards” on Steam. Nevertheless, followers didn’t miss a element within the margin: there was precisely one title on Keighley’s personal want record.
When the neighborhood pressed him to disclose which sport it was, Keighley merely responded with a significant eye emoji:
what’s the 1 sport that you’ve got wishlisted
— Wario64 (@Wario64) November 17, 2025
This sparked hypothesis within the feedback that he was hinting on the unveiling of Half-Life 3 on the upcoming awards. Though Keighley later revealed that he had added the sport “Dadlympics” a day later, followers take into account the unique teaser to be a deliberate tease – and are questioning which sport was on his want record earlier than that.
The data scenario is at present extra dense than in earlier years, however official affirmation remains to be pending: Yesterday’s celebrated anniversary of the sequence handed with out the “Shadow Drop” announcement that many had hoped for. All eyes at the moment are on the approaching weeks.
If the idea that Valve is planning to unveil the software program shortly after the {hardware} proves to be true, the following few days may very well be decisive. Alternatively, December 11, the date of the Recreation Awards, is taken into account a possible venue for an unveiling – regardless that Valve wouldn’t want this stage for HL3.
So the scenario stays one during which skepticism is acceptable, however the complicated info are troublesome to disregard. Should you’re ready for the continuation of the Gordon Freeman story, the present interval till the tip of the yr is extra thrilling than it has been in a very long time.
